The Columbus (Ohio) school board has voted to shutter five schools and spare four others that had been recommended for closing.
The Columbus Dispatch reports that the district, Ohio's largest public school system, will close Broadleigh Elementary, Buckeye Middle, Moler Elementary and the building that holds Columbus Alternative High School. The board also voted to close West Broad Elementary — under the condition that the district can secure funding to replace the school building on the site.
The board also voted to create a plan for closing its downtown offices before the end of the 2024-25 school year.
A facilities task force had recommended closing four other buildings, but the board rejected those recommendations. The spared campuses: the Eastmoor Middle School facility, which houses the Columbus Preparatory School for Boys; Fairwood Elementary; Lindbergh Elementary, and North Linden Elementary.
Superintendent Angela Chapman said the district will work with families as they plan school closings. The identified schools will be closed by the 2027-28 school year.
Before the voting, Board President Christina Vera acknowledged the "feelings of loss, uncertainty and frustration" members of the public may have felt during the closing process.
"The recommendations before us to close and consolidate nine schools is one of the most difficult decisions any school district must face," Vera said. "It touches not just the buildings but the students who learn, the families who trust us, the teachers who inspire and the communities who thrive around our schools."
The Columbus district has about 45,000 students and more than 110 buildings; enrollment peaked in 1971-72 at 110,173. District officials say that similarly sized school systems operate with significantly fewer campuses.
